All, Just a quick question really... I'm going to be running bucket seats in my Polo with 4 point harness's.

I've seen lots of ways people hold the harness' in with such as using a rear strut brace but the one that appeals to me is having a proper harness bar that bolts using the existing rear seat belt buckle points.

But then found these bars too? which i rather like as the seem neat!

Just wondering what other people have done if anything different?

cheers, Mattie

i was going to do it the way you first mensioned - but having seen that I've changed my plan! that looks awesome!

Iv heard of harness bars and wasn't sure how they'd be the right height and strong, smart that.

hahahaaha didnt expect to get the results i got on ebay searching for "harness bar stainless"

i have just fitted 3 points to mine as it was alot easier, the 2 side belts fitted one on the standard buckle bolt on the seat and the other to the body where the standard belt fastens, then the rear one i just bolted to the standard rear seatbelt upper mount on the c pillar :)

Iv heard of harness bars and wasn't sure how they'd be the right height and strong, smart that.

Yeah thats exactly what i thought.

hahahaaha didnt expect to get the results i got on ebay searching for "harness bar stainless"

Haha very true, anyone for bondage?

i have just fitted 3 points to mine as it was alot easier, the 2 side belts fitted one on the standard buckle bolt on the seat and the other to the body where the standard belt fastens, then the rear one i just bolted to the standard rear seatbelt upper mount on the c pillar :)

Yeah, but i want it all to fall into the right regs to. Wanna try and be as legal as possible. Because the way youve done it over does the angle i think? Theres quite a few rules on height, angle type of fastening etc...

Yeah, but i want it all to fall into the right regs to. Wanna try and be as legal as possible. Because the way youve done it over does the angle i think? Theres quite a few rules on height, angle type of fastening etc...

ah ok i didnt know this, it was kind of just a quick fix as my standard seatbelts were as good as useless when i put the cage in!

i have read that 3 point is not FIA legal however and that 4 points are

ah ok i didnt know this, it was kind of just a quick fix as my standard seatbelts were as good as useless when i put the cage in!

i have read that 3 point is not FIA legal however and that 4 points are

I didn't know that? I'm not racing though anyway! haha Just street legal

from this link. http://www.clubwrx.net/forums/interior-mod...arness-bar.html

As far as safety restaint system, yes, all harness bars are absolute crap. Glad you can see the dangers here. A collison at an autocross is highly unlikely, but just having that bar in your car on the street, even if you're using your OEM 3 point belt, it can be a fatal mistake.

Okay, I'm making this post in an attempt to save the OP or anyone else who wishes to install a harness, harness bar, or roll cage from ending up paralyzed or dead. I see improperly used and improperly installed equipment on a regualr basis, and it kills me to see people risking their lives and their passengers lives simply because they don't have the pertinent information.

You NEVER mount harnesses to the floor, period. What is keeping you from doing a face plant on the steering wheel/dash in a front end collision? The seatback? That seat would snap like a toothpick. Not only that, as you fly forward into the dash, and you will, in even a low speed accident, the harness is going to pull down on your shoulders and compress your spine causing a debilitating or fatal back injury.

Furthermore, harnesses, harness bars, and roll cages have no place in a street car, period.

DO NOT USE HARNESS BARS for safety equipment. Use a bolted or welded in roll cage. But you are putting your life on the line if you use a roll cage, or even a harness bar without wearing a helmet AT ALL TIMES in the car. I know of someone who was killed in a 25mph collision when he bumped his head on his harness bar.

DO NOT USE ROLL BARS/CAGES on the street. You should never get into a car that has any type of roll cage or roll bar in it unless you wear a helmet at all times. See above for a further explaination of why a helmet is necessary.

DO NOT USE 4 POINT HARNESSES. Use 5 or 6 point harnesses. The reason you submarine out of a 4 point harness is that your upper body does not lean forward and over the lap belt like it would with a 3 point. Thus, the g forces force your body out under the lap belt. The act of submarining out of a belt is going to seriously injure and potentially kill you, but once you've submarined out of the harness, you can also be ejected from the car. Also, if you have a 5 or 6 point harness and it works as it should, it decelerates your torso instantly in a frontal impact, but your head will continue moving forward. This will result in a debilitating or fatal neck injury or instantly fatal basular skull fracture. Oh and that front airbag, forget about it because you'll never reach it if the harness works. Never use a harness on the street, period.

Next, harnesses should only be mounted at shoulder level and mounted only to a welded or bolted in roll cage, period. Mounting to the floor, or rear seatbelt mounts, causes the harness to pull down on your shoulders and crush your spine when you are in a frontal impact, causing a debilitating or fatal back injury. Also, you will be hitting the steering wheel/dash with full force if you've bolted the harness to the floor. The only place I would say that it is remotely safe to use an improperly installed harness is the autocross. This is because collisions at autocross events are more than rare, so you would not be at much risk of using the harness as a safety restraint. But, injuries are still possible, at least you can now weigh the risks and make an informed decision as to whether or not you use this equipment in your car.

STREET CARS DO NOT USE AFTERMARTKET SEATS. Well, they don't when they have integral airbags in the seats. When you remove the seats with airbags, the airbag light comes on, and you have now DISABLED EVERY AIRBAG IN THE CAR. You have no more front, side, or curtain airbags. You have also put yourself in hot water with your insurance company by removing your factory safety equipment. If you or someone else is injured or killed in your vehicle, even if the accident is the other guy's fault, you are going to get sued, along with the guy who hit you.

I've had several people mention that 'race cars' use this type of safety equipment, but....

Also consider that accidents in race cars are NOT usually as severe as accidents on the street. Everyone is going the same direction on a race track, so no head on collisions. The track is lined with tire walls and barriers so that it is highly unlikely that you could hit a solid object like a tree. The track is set up so that collisions are deflected and cars can't deccelerate all at once. There should be no spot on a track where you can go head on into something and deccelerate intantly. On the street, the hazards and potential impacts are far greater in likelihood and severity than on a track.

Furthermore, The safety equipment used in 'race cars' is a system, period. You cannot pick and choose what equipment you want to use. No harness without a HANS, no HANS without a helmet, no cage without a helmet, the list keeps going in cirlces. YOU NEED EVERYTHING. Race car drivers do not piecemeal their safety equipment together.

The factory safety equipment is the best possible design for street use and is also a system. When you remove or change one piece, nothing else works like it should. It kills me to see people risking and losing their lives so that they can have some Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements on their cars.

If self preservation is at all alive within you, use your factory safety equipment AND ONLY YOUR FACTORY SAFETY EQUIPMENT on the street.

Okay... well thanks for that bit of info there.

But thats a guys opinion yes?

For one how am i going to hit my head on a bar thats mounted behind the seat? and for two that bar in the picture looks like its made of alloy with how its bent. Fuck that mines gonna get made out of roll cage tubing i think its called CDS? So should never do that...

Edited 12 October, 201213 yr by Mattnaz

Yes it's all his opinion, but it sure makes me think twice about running harnesses. I've been wondering whether its a good idea for the road anyway (as he says above) most track accidents happen when all cars are going the same way.

I dont see much point in them tbf

This aint the fast and furious, its clubpolo aha

I'm glad my friend is still alive after his 4 point harnesses bolted to the resr seat belt mounts saved his life tbh

my mate hit a lamp post head on in his skyline with bucket seats and 4 point harness mounted into rear seat belt points .car was wrote off ,he was fine.every accident is diffrent and your bound to gt the odd freak accident were it doesnt matter what belts or seats youv got,

its a polo, no matter how fast we hit something we are going to get crushed like being in a tin can!

Race cars never have head on crashes? Paha! What about t boning someone !

In my Group A Manta rally car, the shoulder straps where bolted to the normal mounting points for the rear seat lap belts as there was a regulation that the straps had to be at a certain angle from the driver/co-drivers seat backrest

Let me dig my MSA blue book out...

I used a proper harness bar in my mk2 ages ago, if you install them correctly your fine. I had mine made with 2" roll cage tubing its was across the rear turrets and braced up the the floor pan in a V shape sloping forwards.. Most race/rally cars use them and if they are the correct spec they are SAFE.. Ill be having another installed into my polo when the 10point cage is fitted

yes, if you run a rollcage then you should wear a helmet i agree with that. I'm running a half cage just in the rear so i wont be banging my head on anything that i wouldnt without it so I'm fine on that point. i will be putting my harnesses on the bar at the back of the cage where it has mounts for them. shouldnt really mount them to the rear seatbelt floor points as this would be to low really and could hurt you instead of protecting you

Wow, this took off! I'm going to have a Harness bar made and then get it tested so it legal :-D